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'Spook' Spann sentenced to jail for violation of poaching probation.

Professional hunter and outdoors television show host William “Spook” Spann has been sentenced to 30 days in jail and has been banned from hunting worldwide for one year.

Spann, 50, of Dickson, Tenn., received the sentence for violating conditions of a probation for a poaching violation he received last year in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo.

His jail time can be spent through assorted nights and weekends and must be completed by Feb. 28, 2014. The U.S. Bureau of Prisons will decide where Spann serves his time.

According to a court document, U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. O’Hara ruled Spann had violated a probation that forbid him from hunting anywhere in the United States for about the first half of this year. Federal game wardens obtained video footage and Facebook photos of Spann dressed in camoflauge and assisting other turkey hunters this spring in Tennessee.

Though Spann was not carrying a weapon and did not kill a turkey, he was ruled to be hunting because he was calling to turkeys, carrying hunting equipment, carrying dead turkeys and illegally spreading bait to attract turkeys.

In November 2012, Spann pled guilty to a 2007 violation of the Lacey Act, when he transported an illegally-tagged buck from Kansas to Tennessee. In November 2007, Spann shot a whitetail buck in Stafford County that carried non-typical antlers that gross-scored about 230 inches of antler on the Pope & Young scoring system, making it one of the biggest bucks killed in the world.

The buck was shot during the Kansas archery deer season, with proper equipment and where Spann had permission to hunt. The permit he used, though, was specifically restricted to land Spann owned and/or leased for agricultural purposes.

When Spann plead guilty in November to the Lacey Act violation, he was ordered to pay $20,000 in fines and restitution. He was then banned from hunting anywhere in the U.S. for six months and from hunting in Kansas for an entire year. He was also ordered to forfeit the antlers of the illegally-tagged buck, and any replicas that had been made of the rack.

"We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations, the important thing is not to achieve but to strive. "-Aldo Leopold

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10Proud Student of Hattaway School of Turkey Hunting!

No not at all,if he's got to kill birds by baiting that shows me what kind of a hunter he is, don't construe my words.....I don't follow or care who this "pro" is, but the whole contributing to a hunt law is pure BS....and that's where most of the charges lay.

No not at all,if he's got to kill birds by baiting that shows me what kind of a hunter he is, don't construe my words.....I don't follow or care who this "pro" is, but the whole contributing to a hunt law is pure BS....and that's where most of the charges lay.

Never seen or heard of this guy before he was charged. Contributing to the hunt is law in SC also. If you carry the weapon, carry game, retrieve game, call, guide, handle dogs, set up decoys ect you are participating in the hunt, even in SC. They could have thrown the book at him as he got off easy the first time with only 6 months suspension of priveledges and again for violation for his probation. He could have easily received a lifetime ban for either. He plead guilty to get what he got.

Never seen or heard of this guy before he was charged. Contributing to the hunt is law in SC also. If you carry the weapon, carry game, retrieve game, call, guide, handle dogs, set up decoys ect you are participating in the hunt, even in SC. They could have thrown the book at him as he got off easy the first time with only 6 months suspension of priveledges and again for violation for his probation. He could have easily received a lifetime ban for either. He plead guilty to get what he got.

You act as if I don't know the rules and regs for SC, I think I would know....still IMO the law in SC or any state is worthless and BS.

CC I know you know the regs, just saying these TV guys gotta play by the same rules the rest of of do. Some do and some don't. Just saying if you don't like the regs or laws work to get them changed, anything else is futile.

'Spook' Spann sentenced to jail for violation of poaching probation.

Originally Posted by Iceman

CC I know you know the regs, just saying these TV guys gotta play by the same rules the rest of of do. Some do and some don't. Just saying if you don't like the regs or laws work to get them changed, anything else is futile.

I agree,this is my take and it's totally hypothetical as I've never had it happen. I want to take someone on a hunt so they can experience what its all about but they cannot in any way even how small it may be contribute....including toting decoys,calling,touching or toting the game,ect. You get the point, I think it's excessive and an annoying law that in its own wouldn't stop someone from hunting without a license if they wanted to fudge but it would aggravate good people just wanting to experience it. I tend to ramble in some of my posts, I hope it came out the way I wanted it to.

In SC you can now purchase an apprentice license on-line without taking the hunters ed course. This clears the hurdle to introduce someone to hunting.

Spook is a smart guy, it had to be arrogance to hunt while on probation for only 6 months. I doubt he is a bad guy, but made an arrogant choice.

"Knowledge is true opinion." ~ Plato

"We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations, the important thing is not to achieve but to strive. "-Aldo Leopold

A few years back I wanted to take my wife, girlfriend at the time, turkey hunting. I wanted to introduce it to her. Since she has her on bow and so forth. Anyway, I did not want to purchase a license for a day or two in the woods at the end of the season, when she would not be "shooting". I called the DNR and posed the question, would she be legal sitting with me and not calling. The person told me as long as she did not carry a weapon at any time she would be ok. Of course I recorded the persons name that told me that.
The following deer season, same situation. We were coming out of the woods to my truck and a GW pulled up. He was very nice and said he was doing license checks in the area. I gave him my license and told him that she was just sitting with me, and not carrying a weapon. He didn't asked to see a license from her. Chatted with jim a min and he went on his way.

I think most LEO's have enough common sense that they could discern a casual and learning hunting experince, that a wife or young person would be on, to a downright blantant disregard for hunting rules and regulations....If Spook was guilty and it seems he was, then he's no better than anyone else to be fined and/or jailed...No matter how abritrary laws seems to be, the law is still the law and there's repercussions and consequences for breaking the law....

"If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination"
Lev.20:13

Political Correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional and liberal minority, that thinks it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.

I think most LEO's have enough common sense that they could discern a casual and learning hunting experince, that a wife or youngsperson would be on, to a downright blantant disregard for hunting rules and regulations....If Spook was guilty and it seems he was, then he's no better than anyone else to be fined and/or jailed...No matter how abritrary laws seems to be, the law is still the law and there's repercussions and consequences for breaking the law....

I used to think the same way (Referring to 280's opening sentence).Then I realized that by doing so, I was leaving my fate up to an individual that I assumed would be reasonable. Most GWs are really down to Earth, and some are unreasonable. I used to run my rabbit dogs year round to keep them on their toes. Sometimes, I would take a friend or relative with me. Then I learned that a valid hunting licenses was required, even when running in a pen. Carrying a small caliber pistol for snakes, is considered hunting out of season.

Personally, I haven't had a problem with the GW, but know of some who have. Nevertheless, I dont take my dogs out unless I have a current license, and any guess that wants to go have to have one as well. Instead of my pistol, I carry a stick. I would rather be legal, than sorry.

Never seen or heard of this guy before he was charged. Contributing to the hunt is law in SC also. If you carry the weapon, carry game, retrieve game, call, guide, handle dogs, set up decoys ect you are participating in the hunt, even in SC. They could have thrown the book at him as he got off easy the first time with only 6 months suspension of priveledges and again for violation for his probation. He could have easily received a lifetime ban for either. He plead guilty to get what he got.

I would imagine the use of assisting in a hunt charges are pretty much only used in situations like this where he was essentially giving the court that issued the judgement of the earlier case a great big FU by engaging in the actions he did. Just like in the original case IMO he knew full well what he was doing this time around and assumed he would be able to get by with it.

The only other case I could see the majority of the officers I have ever dealt with issue a ticket for the charge was if you had a bad attitude and was giving him a hard time.

Feel bad for the guy, this whole situation is a joke. He smoked a true giant and due to laws that are IMHO stupid, the situation and not the buck have become the big story.

The sensationalizing of the case is a joke. We abide by the laws, stupid or not, because if we each pick which laws are "stupid" and will not follow there chaos.

The man obviously knew he was wrong the first time and thought he could disobey his court sentence. A lifetime ban would not be to harsh. A poacher is a poacher, he is now caught and convicted twice. I wonder how many times he did not get caught.

The sensationalizing of the case is a joke. We abide by the laws, stupid or not, because if we each pick which laws are "stupid" and will not follow there chaos.

The man obviously knew he was wrong the first time and thought he could disobey his court sentence. A lifetime ban would not be to harsh. A poacher is a poacher, he is now caught and convicted twice. I wonder how many times he did not get caught.

Well said friend.......

"If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination"
Lev.20:13

Political Correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional and liberal minority, that thinks it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.

The sensationalizing of the case is a joke. We abide by the laws, stupid or not, because if we each pick which laws are "stupid" and will not follow there chaos.

The man obviously knew he was wrong the first time and thought he could disobey his court sentence. A lifetime ban would not be to harsh. A poacher is a poacher, he is now caught and convicted twice. I wonder how many times he did not get caught.

So, you never drive over the speed limit and you make a full stop at each/every stop sign?

Tell ya what guys and this is the truth, The vast majority of TV shooters pull the trigger or string over bait.They spread out corn in plots so the camera cannot see it. I've seen turkey hunts filmed and they spread oats out over the ground starting a couple weeks before film crew stoves and you cannot see the oats in the grass or field while filming. Take time and watch some footage next time and see deer in a field and you have a bunch of deer all close together and their mouth is directly on the ground and you see them using their young and lips to pull in the corn. You almost never see a deer with a mouth full of greens do you. He got what he got.. They guy is very arrogant and grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth. US fish and wildlife does not play games.. He made a bad decision and his ego got him in trouble.

Why are Laws never "stupid" until someone gets caught...... There's probably not anyone that has not EVER "rolled through" a stop sign nor exceeded the speed limit, but there's also a bevy of people that have been caught and fined for breaking those Laws as well.....The bottom line is, "Ol Spooky" broke the laws that were set forth by the state of Kansas...........Laws are laws no matter how arbitrary some may think they are.......

"If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination"
Lev.20:13

Political Correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional and liberal minority, that thinks it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.

You get told not to hunt, you don't hunt. You don't put on camo, you don't go in the woods and call turkeys for someone else, let alone spread friggin corn for turkeys. If you even come to camp, you wear your tacky tourist Hawaiian shirt and wear your beer cozy around your neck with a string, flip-flops on your feet,. This guy was just begging to be made an example of imo.

I skim-read his offenses, admittedly, but he broke several "stupid" laws. That's a pattern of arrogance, not a "oops...I din't know" situation.

1. He misused his Kansas tag, killing a monster on land where the tag was invalid. (Mind you, some folks think tags themselves are stupid. Nuff said.)

2. Then, he spread corn for turkeys where this is illegal.

3. Then, he hunted when he wasn't supposed to hunt. And listen...if you're calling, taking someone where you know the game is, all decked out in camo, you're hunting. Let's stop all the Bill Clinton logic of "it depends on what your definition of is is" and get real. Whether I'm behind the gun or calling, I'm turkey hunting. I know this is a sore subject with guys who insist on killing their five and continue hunting. Whatever. That's just how I see it.

And yes, I've speeded. And paid the price several times and by friggin' God I don't speed anymore. I've got angry tourists flipping me the bird every daggone day in NMB to attest to the fact. LOL.

"We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations, the important thing is not to achieve but to strive. "-Aldo Leopold

I think he got what he needed, actually he got off light, who in this country gets to choose when they serve their 30 day sentence and which days they want to serve, only the rich and spoiled, yes , I have broke laws, ive even spent a cple days in the county a cple different times because I was young and dumb, but hes rich and spoiled , not young and dumb, and I wish they would've hit him with the book harder and really made a example of him, even though the laws he broke were stupid laws, the laws I broke were stupid laws and I paid my dues for them, ive gotten away with breaking laws numerous times as a youngster, but I did get caught a few times , and life was made miserable for me by the officers of the law for the time they could keep me, since I have gotten older and grew up, had kids and responsibilities, now I try my best to avoid breaking laws so I don't end up in any bad situations, but when ya got money you can get away with just about anything with a little slap on the wrist and that's why the rich break laws constantly because they will get the lightest sentence because money makes life easier for them when they do get caught